Slow Seduction (6 page)

“Now, if you give me a chance to speak I would like to say what’s on my mind without any interruptions from you,” she managed to hiss through stiff lips.

Clinton
nodded but didn’t say a word. He was too busy watching the rising and falling of her perky breasts underneath her silky top.

“I stayed because I couldn’t make myself leave you,” Jenisha confessed

Hold on a minute! That got his attention. What did she mean? Was she ready to give them a shot at having a real relationship? He shoved his fantasy about removing her top to the back of his mind for later. He wanted his mind clear and free so he absorbed every single word coming from her sexy mouth.

“I’m tired of not having a man in my life. Other men have asked me out over the past several months. I’ve been running from everyone who has tried to get close to me in the last couple of years,” she confessed. “But I have to admit I haven’t been attracted to another man like I am to you, Clinton. When I see you my heart pounds against my ribs and I can’t think straight. When I’m alone in my bed at night I wish you were there beside me. You’ve haunted my mind since I met you.”

What other men? He wasn’t going to let another man within twenty feet of his Jenisha. He didn’t like sharing his toys as a kid, and he wasn’t about to start sharing anything this late in his life.

“You’ve haunted my mind too, sexy,” he whispered, moving closer to Jenisha.

“I can’t date other men because they don’t’ live up to you. I don’t believe in love at first sight like you, but I do know we have a connection with each other. And if it’s isn’t too late I want us to explore these feelings a little more while you are here for the next couple of months.” Jenisha titled her head up and gave him a small smile.

Closing his eyes,
Clinton
prayed he wasn’t dreaming about the words Jenisha had just spoken to him.
Was
s
he really ready to see where this connection between them could lead?
Opening his eyes, he looked down at her and tugged her toward his bare chest. He planted a kiss her on the forehead. “Baby, I don’t want to think I pressured you into wanting this. I can make myself deal with us only being friends if that’s what you want,” he lied.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him lightly on his firm lips. “Darling, I want to give us a chance, unless you have changed your mind?”

He grabbed a handful of her butt, yanking her fully against his warm body. “Does it feel like I’m having second thoughts about us, Cinnamon?” he asked before his mouth swooped down and captured hers in a white hot kiss.

Moaning, Jenisha let her body succumb to the powerful domination of
Clinton
’s mouth. Standing on tiptoes, she pressed her body closer to his and ran her fingers through his hair, loving how the smooth stands brushed along her fingertips. But it still wasn’t enough to calm down the heat in hers. So, she rubbed her nipples against his chest and gasped when they hardened. It never felt this good with another man. Not once in her life had she wanted to make love to a man this badly.

Trying to regain her emotions and composure, she separated their bodies. “We need to stop,” she mumbled. “I’m not ready for this yet.” She felt the tension in
Clinton
’s body and knew he was barely holding on to his control.

“Baby, are you sure about this?” he breathed by her ear.

Tiny shock waves shot down her body, but she had to stay firm. She couldn’t allow him to make love to her yet. “Yes, I’m sure.”

Towering over Jenisha’s slender frame,
Clinton
wrapped his arms back around her body and tried to get his body to settle down. “All right, I can wait. I can’t expect both of my dreams to come true in one night,” he sighed, kissing her cheek.
One wish down and two more to go,
he thought.

“However, I want you to know, since you have agreed to be my girlfriend, that I’m going to tell you all the things I’ve been dreaming about since I met you. There are some things I haven’t even told
Hayward
,”
Clinton
admitted. “Some words are just meant to be spoken to the person you love.”

Jenisha rested her head in the center of
Clinton
chest and sighed.
I really hope I made the right decision,
she thought
.

“Yes, you have made the right decision.”

Jenisha jumped back from his body and stared up into his face. A look of confusion passed over her beautiful features. “How did you know what I was thinking?”

“Baby, when are you going to believe me when I say we are soul mates?”

“After what just happened, I have to start believing you.”

As much as she wanted to discuss their newfound commitment, Jenisha knew she needed to discuss the email Principal Kimball sent her. “
Clinton
, we need to sit down so I can show you some of the suggestions Principal Kimball has for the school.” Walking back over the table with
Clinton
right behind her, she dug the email out of her purse and handed it to
Clinton
.

“I thought he didn’t want to be involved with any part of it. Why did he send this to you instead of me?” he questioned. “I gave him my email address that day I met him in his office. I don’t want anything to happen that he can blame you for later.” He had a bad feeling Mark wanted more than a professional relationship with Jenisha.

Sitting down, she folded her right leg underneath her left leg. “I think it’s wonderful you are so concerned about me, but I can handle Mark all by myself.”

Clinton
flashed her a perplexed look. “Why are you calling Principal Kimball by his first name?”

“I don’t know, it just came out.” Jenisha shrugged.

“Is there something you need to tell me about him?”
Clinton
asked.

Jenisha gave her eyes a quick roll before she answered
Clinton
. “About two months ago Principal Kimball…Mark asked me out on a date and I turned him down. Ever since then I have been on his most hated list. Haven’t you noticed there is something strange about him? I think it’s his eyes, because when he looks at you it’s like he really isn’t there with you.”

She shuddered at the memory. “It’s really creepy. I don’t like being alone with him.”

Clinton
reached over, placing his hand on top of hers. “Do you think he’ll do something to you?”

She shook her head. “No, I don’t think he would harm me, but I just get a chill when I’m around him. I haven’t been alone with him in a long time and I’m very happy about it.”

“If I have anything to say about it, you won’t be alone with him again.”

‘I think I’m going to love having you around here the next couple of months,” Jenisha confessed.

“I know I’m going to love been around you any chance I get. And when I get a break in the day I’ll come to your class to say ‘hi.’”

She tried to ignore the pleasure
Clinton
’s words gave her. She would love to see him everyday in her classroom, but it wasn’t a possibility with Mark and Robin always lurking around. She didn’t know which one she disliked the most. However, if Mark caught a whiff that she was dating
Clinton
, the project would be over and
Clinton
would be on the first plane back to
Stamford
. She couldn’t let Mark have that kind of power over him.

Clinton
frowned when she eased her hand away from him. “No, you can’t do that.”

“Are you saying you want me to keep our relationship a secret? Because, damn it, I have never done that before and I sure in hell won’t do it now.”
Clinton
was so furious that his breath burned the back of his throat, keeping from saying anything else to Jenisha.

Jenisha laid her finger on his lips. “I said no because the class already likes you and if you come in all the time I won’t be able to focus on my teaching. How about if we leave the school and having lunch together somewhere instead?”

She watched the anger evaporate from
Clinton
’s body instantly at her words. He wrapped his hand around the back of her neck, pulling her body between his legs. “Will I get to kiss you all I want on our lunch dates?”

She ran her fingers across his bare chest and grinned. “Yes.”

“Precious, I think my answer is yes.”

She kissed him quickly on the lips and moved away before he could deepen it.

“Hey, where are you going,”
Clinton
complained watching Jenisha pick up her purse off the couch. She couldn’t leave him this early. He wanted them to make out some more on the couch. He had to find a way to make her spend the night with him.

“Home.” She answered sliding her purse on her shoulder. “I’ve already stayed longer than I planned to.” Jenisha knew if she didn’t get out of here soon,
Clinton
could probably talk her into doing anything. Her body was still humming from his kiss earlier and that wasn’t good. She wanted to take things between them slow and easy.

Clinton
got up from his chair. “Is there anything I can say or do to make you want to spend the night?”

No
, Jenisha thought, backing away. She wouldn’t let that charm of his work on her tonight. She was going to leave, and that was that. “Not tonight. I really need to get home. I’m usually in bed by now on a school night.”

Clinton
’s deep masculine laugh echoed throughout the huge house. “You’ve to be kidding me. It’s only eleven-thirty, and it’s Spring Break so you don’t have to be in bed early for school.” She wasn’t going to get away from him that easily. He worked years to perfect his charm, and no woman could resist it, not even his Jenisha.

“You must remember I’m used to going to bed early because I’ve to be there before the seven year-olds are. They expect to see me sitting behind my huge desk waiting for them.”

Sighing,
Clinton
grabbed Jenisha’s arm, tugging her back into his arms. “I guess you’re right about that. I remember my second grade teacher. I loved seeing her all ready at her desk when I walked into class, because the room always smelled like lavender. However, I don’t remember her looking a sexy as you do.”

He wanted to find a way to make Jenisha spend the night with him. They didn’t even have to make love; he only wanted her under the same roof as him for one night. “Are you positive you can’t stay?” he asked, nibbling at her ear. “I have an extra bedroom for you to sleep in and I’ll loan you one of my shirts to sleep in.”

He ran his tongue along the bottom of her lip and took a quick bite. “I really don’t want you driving back home this late at night, and if you’re good I might even tuck you in.”

Jenisha felt her will weakening at
Clinton
’s steamy suggestion. “If I agree to stay do you promise to behave yourself and stay in your own room?”

“I promise I’ll stay in my own room.”

She really didn’t like driving late at night and
Clinton
wasn’t a stranger. “Okay, I’ll stay in the extra room and t
hank
you for offering it to me.”

Pushing a tendril away from her cheek,
Clinton
grinned at Jenisha and winked. These past two days were turning out so much better than he thought. He didn’t know if he could handle anymore surprise before the week was out, but he was never a man to mess with fate. He wouldn’t turn down anything else special that came his way.

“Do you have any pets that you need to take care of?”
Clinton
asked.

“No, I don’t have any pets at all and I don’t need to call anyone either,” Jenisha replied, eyeing him. “All my friends have left on their vacations.”

“Then follow me, precious, and I’ll show you to your room,” he said, moving toward the extra bedroom. “Oh, on second thought, let me grab a shirt for you and then we can go to your room.”

He took Jenisha’s hand and pulled her to his bedroom. Opening the door, he tugged her in behind him. “Stand right here so I can get you a shirt.” Walking over to a dresser,
Clinton
searched until he found a shirt long enough to cover her up. He didn’t need any extra skin showing to heighten his attraction to her.

Moving back toward Jenisha, he handed her a shirt like the one he had on earlier. “Here you go. I think it’ll be long enough to cover up most of those long legs of yours.”

“T
hank
you,” Jenisha said, taking the shirt from him.

“You’re more than welcome.”

He made it a point not to stare at the huge bed that dominated most of his room. He made a promise not to seduce her and he would keep his word no matter how much it killed him.

“I think I should show you to your room now.” He turned on his heels and strode to the door.

“Sounds good to me,” Jenisha said, following him.

Opening the door open wider for Jenisha, he waited for her to leave the room and took her down the hallway to the guest room. He paused by the closed door because he knew better than to go in. “The bathroom is the first door on your left and I’ll let you have first chance at the shower in the morning.”

His heart hammered against his ribs as he stared at her. She was so disturbing to him in every way, and his body ached for her touch. Shaking off the feeling, he said, “I’ll see you in the morning.” He turned to leave, but Jenisha’s raspy voice stopped him.

“Are you okay?” Her hand reached out to touch him, but he moved away from her long fingers.

“Please don’t touch me, precious. I’m already having a hard time keeping my word, and your touch might send me over the edge.” He slowly backed away from her. The concern on her face touched him, but he wasn’t about to move back within touching distance of her. “Sleep tight,” he muttered and hurried down the hall to his bedroom. Going inside, he quickly shut it behind before he forgot his promise to be a gentleman.

I can’t believe he left me standing here list this.
Jenisha tightened her hand around
Clinton
’s shirt and shook her head. She never thought she would have a man running from her. Bringing the shirt close to her nose, she took a deep breath. It smelled like she knew it would. Warm and spicy just like
Clinton
. Taking one last glance at
Clinton
as he closed door, she went into her bedroom and closed the door. “
Clinton
, you’re full of surprises,” Jenisha whispered to the empty room.

Back in his room,
Clinton
paced back and forth on the carpet, trying not to think about Jenisha in the bedroom a few doors down from his. He was thrown. She had agreed to spend the night with him. He still felt like the whole situation was a dream and he would wake up any minute like he did from every fantasy he had about her. Needing something to do to get his mind off Jenisha covered in his shirt, he snatched his crossword puzzle book off the nightstand. Sitting at the small desk by his window, he opened it where he left off.

Clinton
try to let his mind become totally focused on the puzzle in front of him. He needed this time to himself to think. But he had to fight his own personal need not to think of something just to see Jenisha. He couldn’t forget how she looked when he walked away with his shirt pressed against her firm breasts. It was almost enough to make him jerk her back into his arms.

“Shit. I need to stop this or I won’t get any sleep tonight,” he grumbled. Rubbing his hands cross the back of his eyes, he refocused his attention on the crossword puzzle.

After a while he finally pushed thoughts of Jenisha to the back of his mind. Tapping the pencil on the desk, he reread the clue for six down aloud. “What is a four letter word for provocative?”

“I think the answer is sexy,” Jenisha whispered over his shoulder.

“Shit!”
Clinton
screamed, flinching in his chair. Spinning around, he stared at Jenisha with shock. “You almost gave me a heart attack. I didn’t hear you come in here. Is everything okay? Did you need something?”

“Oh, I’m sorry,
Clinton
. I didn’t mean to scare you. I knocked on the door a couple of times, but you didn’t answer. So, I peeked in and saw you sitting at the table,” Jenisha muttered.

Her eyes moved up his chest and stared into his eyes. He thought her eyes were the same color as an expensive bottle of brandy, and he couldn’t wait until they were overflowing with desire for him.

“You were mumbling to yourself about the crossword puzzle and, since I knew the answer, I wanted to help you out.”

“That shirt never looked that good on me.” The stretched material hugged Jenisha’s every curve.
Look but don’t touch.
He had to keep telling himself that.

She smiled at his compliment. “T
hank
you very much, but I didn’t come in here for a compliment.”

Pushing the chair back from the table, he stood up and ran his fingers through Jenisha silky strands. “What did you come in here for?” He smiled when she shivered at his touch.

“I wanted to t
hank
you again for letting me stay.”

He wrapped his fingers around her upper arm and slowly moved her toward his body, but gave her time to move away if she wanted. When they were chest to chest he kissed the side of her mouth lightly and breathed in her scent. “Since you are feeling so generous tonight, does that t
hank
you come with a good night kiss?”